Sustainability roles in the making Exploring the work and agency of sustainability professionals in the Swedish construction industry
Doctoral thesis, 2025
The aim of this thesis is to understand the ongoing professionalization of sustainability by problematizing the role and work of sustainability professionals in the Swedish construction industry. Building on a practice lens, the research is based on a qualitative research design, including interviews with sustainability professionals and an in-depth case study of a large infrastructure project.
The findings show that although sustainability roles have existed in the industry for about 30 years, a stable and clearly defined foundation for their work is still lacking. This is demonstrated by the way their work constantly changes direction depending on the sustainability issue “in fashion”, and by how they adapt their roles and practices depending on the situation and with whom they interact. This contributes to the fragmented and continually evolving nature of sustainability roles. Sustainability professionals also take on significant responsibility for trying to create clarity around “who should do what” in sustainability work. This is demonstrated through their boundary work, aimed at influencing the boundaries between different professional groups’ practices. In doing so, however, they are continuously reshaping their own role, which risks reinforcing the lack of clarity regarding what sustainability professionals actually do, and should do, within the company or in construction projects.
This thesis contributes by developing an empirical and theoretical understanding that builds on practice, that is, what professionals do, as a way to understand the ongoing professionalization of sustainability by problematizing the role and work of sustainability professionals in the Swedish construction industry. To theory, this thesis contributes by providing rich details about what it means to work as a sustainability professional, their roles, and daily work practices. To practice, this thesis contributes by providing knowledge that may support the future development of sustainability roles.
The findings show that although sustainability roles have existed in the industry for about 30 years, a stable and clearly defined foundation for their work is still lacking. This is demonstrated by the way their work constantly changes direction depending on the sustainability issue “in fashion”, and by how they adapt their roles and practices depending on the situation and with whom they interact. This contributes to the fragmented and continually evolving nature of sustainability roles. Sustainability professionals also take on significant responsibility for trying to create clarity around “who should do what” in sustainability work. This is demonstrated through their boundary work, aimed at influencing the boundaries between different professional groups’ practices. In doing so, however, they are continuously reshaping their own role, which risks reinforcing the lack of clarity regarding what sustainability professionals actually do, and should do, within the company or in construction projects.
This thesis contributes by developing an empirical and theoretical understanding that builds on practice, that is, what professionals do, as a way to understand the ongoing professionalization of sustainability by problematizing the role and work of sustainability professionals in the Swedish construction industry. To theory, this thesis contributes by providing rich details about what it means to work as a sustainability professional, their roles, and daily work practices. To practice, this thesis contributes by providing knowledge that may support the future development of sustainability roles.
professionalization processes
work
construction industry
institutional entrepreneurship
roles
institutional logics
shadowing
interviews
boundary work
sustainability professionals
Vasa B, Vera Sandbergs Allé 8.
Opponent: Professor Tina Karrbom Gustavsson, Division of Construction and Facilities Management, KTH, Sweden.
Author
Stina Hellsvik
Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Innovation and R&D Management
Supportive hero and troublemaker? Diverging environmental work expectations in construction
Proceedings of the 41st Annual ARCOM Conference,;(2025)p. 862-870
Paper in proceeding
The influence of multiple logics on the work of sustainability professionals
Construction Management and Economics,;Vol. 41(2023)p. 893-909
Journal article
Taking lead for sustainability: Environmental managers as institutional entrepreneurs
Sustainability,;Vol. 13(2021)
Journal article
Reviewing the Role of Sustainability Professionals in Construction
Emerald Reach Proceedings Series,;Vol. 2(2019)p. 393-399
Book chapter
For more than 30 years, sustainability roles have existed in the construction industry. Yet there is still no clear or stable understanding of what these professionals are actually expected to do. This thesis shows how their work constantly shifts depending on which sustainability issue happens to be in focus at the moment, and how they must adapt their tasks to different situations and the people they work with. As a result, sustainability roles are fragmented and continually changing.
Sustainability professionals also take on significant responsibility for creating clarity around the question of "who should do what" in sustainability work. In practice, this means trying to influence how different professional groups collaborate and where the boundaries between their tasks should lie. But in doing so, they also reshape their own role – sometimes in ways that reinforce the very ambiguity they are trying to resolve.
This thesis offers a deeper understanding of how sustainability work actually happens in practice, and how sustainability professionals’ roles take shape in everyday work. By highlighting this ongoing evolution of sustainability roles "in the making", the thesis provides new insights that can support the future development of clearer and more “sustainable” sustainability roles in the construction industry.
Sustainability professionals also take on significant responsibility for creating clarity around the question of "who should do what" in sustainability work. In practice, this means trying to influence how different professional groups collaborate and where the boundaries between their tasks should lie. But in doing so, they also reshape their own role – sometimes in ways that reinforce the very ambiguity they are trying to resolve.
This thesis offers a deeper understanding of how sustainability work actually happens in practice, and how sustainability professionals’ roles take shape in everyday work. By highlighting this ongoing evolution of sustainability roles "in the making", the thesis provides new insights that can support the future development of clearer and more “sustainable” sustainability roles in the construction industry.
Hållbarhetsrollen i byggsektorn: ledarskap och praktik
Development Fund of the Swedish Construction Industry (SBUF) (17003595-6056), 2021-10-01 -- 2024-02-29.
Sustainability roles in practice
Centre for Management of the Built Environment (CMB), 2023-01-02 -- 2024-12-31.
Professionalization and institutional change: a study of an emerging sustainability profession
Formas (942-2015-1372), 2016-01-01 -- 2019-12-31.
Driving Forces
Sustainable development
Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Other Civil Engineering
DOI
10.63959/chalmers.dt/5791
ISBN
978-91-8103-334-2
Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 5791
Publisher
Chalmers
Vasa B, Vera Sandbergs Allé 8.
Opponent: Professor Tina Karrbom Gustavsson, Division of Construction and Facilities Management, KTH, Sweden.